I usually harvest winter squash on or near the Fall Equinox, but this year I pulled squash and vines about a week early, partly because the crop was ready but more because there was real rain in the forecast. And as predicted, the day after the squash harvest, two inches of rain fell, glorious soaking rain that softened the soil of the squash bed and of all the other beds I’d cleared of summer vegetables and mulch in anticipation of rain. After such a dry summer, the start of the rainy season was most welcome.
The joy of the rain made up for a smaller-than-usual squash harvest. The yield in the main squash bed was half of what we usually get. Among the drying vines, I found only two or three of old favorites Blue Kuri and Honeyboat and Zeppelin Delicatas, and barely more of new entries, Little Gem Red Kuri, Gill’s Golden Pippin, Sonca Butternut.
The one surprising exception was a large yield of Hunter Butternut squash from four plants that I’d set out at the last minute in another bed next to a Costata Romanesca Zucchini.
I’m not often successful growing butternut squash, but these plants produced sixteen lovely large squash. Why did they do so well and the others so poorly?
A number of factors affect squash production. Days that are too cold and days that are too hot both affect squash plants’ fruit set. We definitely had both extremes this summer. Lack of water is also a factor, but both beds received the same amount of irrigation. I never got around to mulching the main squash bed, but I did mulch the one zucchini and the four butternut plants, so perhaps mulch made a difference in moisture. More than moisture, though, there’s pollination. In many of the trouble-shooting sources I turned to, pollination turned up as a factor affecting squash production. An excellent entry on Squash Pollination by Mark MacDonald in West Coast Seeds Garden Wisdom Blog helped me look more closely at the different conditions between my main squash bed and the smaller zucchini and butternut planting.
Through text and photographs, MacDonald describes how squash pollination works and, in particular, the importance of bees to this process. In his suggested solutions to poor squash pollination, he concludes: “This whole conversation illustrates the importance of bees in our landscape. It is their diligent work that spreads all of the pollen back and forth. Without bees, many crops would simply fail to produce. The first strategy for the squash grower is to encourage more bees.”
Looking at the two squash locations, I saw right away that the zucchini and butternut bed was next to a several sprawling calendula plants that had started blooming in early spring and bloomed heavily all summer. Next to the main squash bed were several cosmos plants, but they didn’t start blooming until later in the summer, and there were no other flowers nearby. Maybe the explanation for my squash yield difference was simply poor pollination in the main squash bed.
I’ll hold on to that possibility for next year and plant flowers along with squash to attract bees. Flowers MacDonald suggests are alyssum, calendula, centaurea, crimson clover, nemophila, phacelia, sunflowers and white Dutch clover. In a lovely description of bee behavior, he writes: “Sunflowers planted in the squash bed act like a beacon because they are visible from hundreds of meters away. Other plants bloom in such profusion that no pollinator would pass without a closer look.” At next year’s Autumn Equinox squash harvest, I’ll find out if flowers made the difference. In the meantime, we’ll enjoy meals from this year’s harvest.
Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens 
Hi Kate,
This garden is to the south of us about 1/4 mi. The garden is small and just feeds 2 people but it is beautiful and this woman keeps meticulous notes. She has this blog and it comes out irregularly once a month. I think you’d enjoy reading her posts. Her name is Debbie Hatch.
cheers, T
On Sun, Sep 26, 2021 at 10:22 AM Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens wrote:
> Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens posted: ” I usually harvest winter squash on > or near the Fall Equinox, but this year I pulled squash and vines about a > week early, partly because the crop was ready but more because there was > real rain in the forecast. And as predicted, the day after the squas” > Respond to this post by replying above this line > New post on *Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens* > Winter > Squash Question > by > Lopez Island Kitchen Gardens > > > I usually harvest winter squash on or near the Fall Equinox, but this year > I pulled squash and vines about a week early, partly because the crop was > ready but more because there was real rain in the forecast. And as > predicted, the day after the squash harvest, two inches of rain fell, > glorious soaking rain that softened the soil of the squash bed and of all > the other beds I’d cleared of summer vegetables and mulch in anticipation > of rain. After such a dry summer, the start of the rainy season was most > welcome. > > The joy of the rain made up for a smaller-than-usual squash harvest. The > yield in the main squash bed was half of what we usually get. Among the > drying vines, I found only two or three of old favorites Blue Kuri and > Honeyboat and Zeppelin Delicatas, and barely more of new entries, Little > Gem Red Kuri, Gill’s Golden Pippin, Sonca Butternut. > > > > The one surprising exception was a large yield of Hunter Butternut squash > from four plants that I’d set out at the last minute in another bed next to > a Costata Romanesca Zucchini. > > > > I’m not often successful growing butternut squash, but these plants > produced sixteen lovely large squash. Why did they do so well and the > others so poorly? > > A number of factors affect squash production. Days that are too cold and > days that are too hot both affect squash plants’ fruit set. We definitely > had both extremes this summer. Lack of water is also a factor, but both > beds received the same amount of irrigation. I never got around to mulching > the main squash bed, but I did mulch the one zucchini and the four > butternut plants, so perhaps mulch made a difference in moisture. More than > moisture, though, there’s pollination. In many of the trouble-shooting > sources I turned to, pollination turned up as a factor affecting squash > production. An excellent entry on Squash Pollination by Mark MacDonald > in West Coast Seeds Garden Wisdom Blog > helped me look more closely > at the different conditions between my main squash bed and the smaller > zucchini and butternut planting. > > Through text and photographs, MacDonald describes how squash pollination > works and, in particular, the importance of bees to this process. In his > suggested solutions to poor squash pollination, he concludes: “This whole > conversation illustrates the importance of bees in our landscape. It is > their diligent work that spreads all of the pollen back and forth. Without > bees, many crops would simply fail to produce. The first strategy for the > squash grower is to encourage more bees.” > > Looking at the two squash locations, I saw right away that the zucchini > and butternut bed was next to a several sprawling calendula plants that had > started blooming in early spring and bloomed heavily all summer. Next to > the main squash bed were several cosmos plants, but they didn’t start > blooming until later in the summer, and there were no other flowers > nearby. Maybe the explanation for my squash yield difference was simply > poor pollination in the main squash bed. > > I’ll hold on to that possibility for next year and plant flowers along > with squash to attract bees. Flowers MacDonald suggests are alyssum, > calendula, centaurea, crimson clover, nemophila, phacelia, sunflowers and > white Dutch clover.
Thanks for forwarding this post! I wish I were a meticulous record keeper, but I’m really not 🙂
About squash and pollination🙂
The connection between pollinators and harvest is so intriguing! I’ve heard that mentioned as a possibility of other less than bountiful crops this season. I’ll add borage to that flower list. Although it’s a bit ungainly, the bees go mad for it. My best squash were Potimarron and Spaghetti. I also grew Butterscotch, Naked Bear and Winter Luxury
Thanks for your response and suggestion to add borage to the list. Its blue flowers are so pretty. I haven’t grown it for a while but will definitely grow it next year. I usually grow Potimarron but tried Little Gem Red Kuri this year. If it’s not as good as Potimarron, I’ll go back to Potimarron! Winter Luxury is tasty too. I’ll have to go back to that again as well. Thanks!
hi, and thx soooo very much for you verbal input on your own efforts here….Borage , may very well serve your needs rather well, and the rest of us as well….soooo, if you ” knew ” yr plants were shy of Water, what was it that prevented you from…..turning on the hose….your lot is down hill from Lopez Hill….perhaps there might very well be enough water at yr local, to serve yr plants rather well…I value very much your writings….I am greatful for same….
Hi David, Yes, borage definitely next year. About water, I may not have been clear that I irrigated all summer, so while lack of water can be a problem for squash, my squash didn’t lack for water. We’re fortunate to have a pond. Thanks for valuing my writing.
I wish I could grow vegetables, but my town garden does not have dry room. And this year our garden – with its raised beds – has really suffered from flooding. Those squashes look great!
Debbie Congratulations on your butternut! I have given up growing it even though it is my favorite squash! Dana
Thanks Dana! The question is: can I get them to ripen next year! Thanks for writing.
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